This project is located above the development axis of the HeFei Financial Business Central, along the South Fei River. This is an ideal location, giving the project tremendous possibilities for future development. By reconstructing the mixed-use building, we hope to redefine the architecture and landscape, as well as interior design and user interaction, thus reflecting the essence of contemporary cosmopolitan lifestyle.
Injecting life into public space
In the preliminary design phase of HeFei Smart Garden Library, rejuvenation of project peripherals in order to provide an ideal living space was the essential objective. Through rational layout, complex space optimization, the façade presented meets the modern populace’s need for communal space. From this foundation, we placed utmost attention to the project’s spatial design, and achieved maximum estate rejuvenation.Dynamics between library and surrounding areas (interacting with the city square, city main road, green landscape etc.)
The entire project compliments the City’s greenification plan, by creating a building complex along the greenbelt axis of the Garden City Integrated Residential Estate. The challenge of amalgamating social and communication needs, evolving functional demands and seamless fusion of buildings and landscape gave birth to an almost philosophical warmth and tender enigmatic conclusion, thereby resulting in an integrated library, kindergarten and city central that creates an enthusiastic and lively community.
The library is located along the living central & city greenbelt axis of this project, bringing convenience to the public’s daily life through core building complex 8 structuring, thereby creating more human traffic for the library. The city greenbelt axis surrounding and the private courtyard within the library together constitute the natural green lungs of the whole project, forming a natural backyard garden 9 of this area. At the same time, there is large areas of public space surrounding the library, providing abundant activity areas for the nearby residents, creating a spacious and comfortable rest place.
Freedom of movement, dream-like reality
In the initial design of the library, starting from a cube, we created a curved interface as the main structure through reducing and overlapping of the cube using different construction techniques, ingeniously adapting to the surrounding environment, expressing its gentle and unique individuality simultaneously. We are building a floating island, but not a lonely island. The interweaving influence of the city square, the city main road and green landscape (on the library) will bring a different experience for the public.
From a distance, the colour, tone and volume changes with the angles, making the whole building intriguing and flexible. The city square extends out into the core library complex, attracting crowds to partake in activities. The facade facing the water body creates a soft floating cantilever-like reflection, while the façade facing the city highway impresses with it’s steady and spacious feel.
The confluence of black, grey and white accentuates the intense sense of sculpture impression, while the brown embellishments provide warmth. The interspersed glass and flow of water disperses any possible dullness. Water is light and attractive; glass connects the indoor and outdoor spaces, inviting both light and shade, space and time. Regardless of day or night, natural or manmade, the traversing light gives this sculptural building a sense of spatial transparency and dreamlike reality, akin to a floating island within the city.
Journey as your heart desires
Ancient Chinese has the spirit of “Made by man, feel like nature” in design, achieved by exploring landscapes and contrasting spaces to achieve seamless integration. This project features a journey pathway that evolves with functions and space, and advancing furnishings, allowing one’s emotions change naturally with the space. You emotions flows within you while you transverse.
The indoor space is a continuation of the building’s external space and exterior design elements. We hope that through the journey pathway, one’s mental awareness can achieve harmony and space and time, thereby creating a sense of psychological belonging beyond the building’s functionality. This journey pathway exists indoors but extends outdoors, synergizing the relationship between architecture, landscape and public, cumulating to a panoramic view with everything is connecting & self-arranging within this pathway. Extending continuously, it leads our footsteps toward the entire.
Greenified walls, inner peace
The central courtyard surrounded by greenery provides a peace of mind. Overlooking from the library second, your gaze meets a neat square of greenery. Surveying further, resides the horizon where sky meets earth. The interior courtyard and indoor space systematically intertwines, as though separating the interior court from the vast exterior space though glass. The use of clear glass on the first floor creates transparency, creating the sense of a “floating island”. The second floor uses frosted glass for separation, concealing the colour of the environment, while providing enough cover for the indoor spaces. The result is a complimentary interior design and external landscape.
Creation of a Delicate and Authentic Arena
In the whole design process, we continuously explored the harmonious relationships between architecture and functionality, as well as the interaction between man and space. From large dimension considerations such as city view to entrance space, to small dimension considerations like backyard and transition space, we included humanistic elements in our low-key design details, achieving a sense of warmth and tender for all occupants.
